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Russian Space ForcesSoyuz 2.1a Fregat-M43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Meridian 4
Launched
May 4, 2011
Summary
Meridian 4 launched on a Russian Space Forces Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M from 43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation on May 4, 2011. It was Russian Space Forces's 82nd launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 5,125th orbital launch attempt. It was the 3rd Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical). Meridian No. 14L, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 1,006 × 39,768 km orbit inclined 62.8°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M · Russian Space Forces
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical)
- Milestone
- 3rd Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M flight · 1st this yearRussian Space Forces's 82nd launch3rd this yearhumanity's 5,125th orbital launch attempt19th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Meridian No. 14L · NORAD 37398 · 2011-018 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OBJECT A
- Object ID
- 2011-018A
- Epoch
- 2011-05-04 18:53:52 UTC
- Mean motion
- 1.98348467 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7243171
- Inclination
- 62.7956°
- Ascending node
- 77.8295°
- Arg. of perigee
- 284.9758°
- Mean anomaly
- 10.3598°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.0001
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Elliptical. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage; none still in orbit
- Meridian No. 14L · NORAD 37398 · re-entered July 20, 2026
Fregat No. 1028 · re-entered August 22, 2026
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Meridian 4 was a Russian dual-use military and civil communications satellite built by ISS Reshetnev, operating in a Molniya-type highly elliptical orbit to serve high-latitude regions of Russia.
Pad
43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
266th launch from 43/4 (43R), 2nd this year · 1,579th from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
329 launches from this pad · 1,688 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
67 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian FederationOpen in maps
Questions
When did Meridian 4 launch?
Meridian 4 launched on May 4, 2011. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Meridian 4?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Meridian 4?
Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M, flown by Russian Space Forces. Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M spec sheet
Where did Meridian 4 launch from?
43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation.
What orbit did Meridian 4 reach?
Meridian No. 14L, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 1,006 × 39,768 km orbit inclined 62.8°.
How many satellites did Meridian 4 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).